Miss Wren and the Boy
by Sheankelor
Summary: How did Wendyll and Severus become friends? A prequel to 'A Wren's Choice'.


_AN: Just to let you know, the official name for a group of wrens is either a 'herd' or a 'chime'. You can have a murder of crows, a kettle of falcons, a raft of ducks, a glittering of hummingbirds,and a herd of wrens. _

_Thanks to Yen for going over this, and to the moppet for enjoying it. _

_Ree_

_Miss Wren and the Boy_

Wendyll flitted from bush to bush, watching the boy who had caught her attention. He wasn't the nicest looking child. His hair was unwashed, his clothes were ill fitting and his thin pinched face showed more knowledge of the darker side of human nature than a child should have.

It was that last part that attracted him to her. He looked as unwanted, as forgotten, as lonely as she felt.

For a long time, surely it had been since before this child was born, she had been among a large herd of wrens. They were her family, her friends. They had lived like ordinary wrens, doing the things expected of them. Her herd had been different though. They could live longer, think better, and were capable of understanding the humans they lived around.

All that had ended a year and a half ago. A fire had ripped through their winter roost and they had taken to flight. Wendyll was nearest to the entrance and was one of the first to escape the burning inferno. Swooping out of the hollow tree, she noticed the rest of the forest was a flame. Flying longer and harder than an ordinary wren could, she along with the few others that had escaped with her, dodged through smouldering ash and falling branches that plummeted to the ground. Entire trees were going up in flames and crashing to the ground.

Wendyll had done her best to keep an eye on her family members, but the flames were too intense and the smoke too thick, and then came the strong jets of water the humans had used to put the flames out. When she had finally succeeded in escaping that burning death, she could not find one member of her herd. All were gone, scattered by this unforeseen force of nature…

Brushing those melancholy thoughts away, Wendyll focused on the child who looked to have seen as much of the world as she had. He was digging under the bush she was hiding in with a stick.

"Stupid bullies. So what if Mum and Dad are not rich? So what if home is on the wrong side of town?" he muttered to himself, the defiant words thrown into doubt by the tears sliding down his thin cheeks.

Churring softly, Wendyll hopped closer to him, hoping somehow she could show him that having a home and a family were worth more than what he thought. Black eyes, ones as dark as hers, spotted her where she was hidden behind a spray of green leaves.

"I know that. At least I have a roof over my head. I know I should be grateful for everything I have, and I am...but... but it still hurts when people pick on me."

Blinking quickly, Wendyll then froze in shock. Surely the child had not understood her. No one understood her, not since she had lost her roost companions.

The stick moved across the earth barely making a trail as the black eyed boy continued. "Thank you for your words, though."

"You understand me?" Wendyll chipped quietly, hoping against hope that him might.

The edges of thin lips curled slightly and the boy sat down, the stick resting across his legs.

"Yes, I can, but I've never understood a bird before. You are really talking to me, right?"

Wendyll came to the outermost edges of the branch, the leaves behind her now. "I am talking to you, and you understand me."

When the boy nodded, she flipped her wings and bounced slightly on her perch. "What else did those bullies say?"

The boy looked about before he answered.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

It was almost two days before the boy came back to the bush. Wendyll noticed the bruise that was covering his arm. Hopping from limb to limb, she made it to the one closest to the child. "Why is your arm hurt?"

Black eyes never left her as his hand quickly moved to cover part of the mark. "You weren't a dream. I really am talking to a wren in a bush near the park."

Giving a scolding chirp, Wendyll flipped her wings slightly. "Of course I am real. Yes, you are talking to a wren in a bush. Now, what happened to your arm?"

The boy shrugged but answered when she continued to stare at him.

"A group of boys from the other side of town decided I needed to swim and threw me into the river."

Looking closer, Wendyll realized the boy was dripping wet. "Did they bruise your arm throwing you into the water?"

"Dragging me there. I didn't make it easy on them. I then hit it on the branch I used to pull myself out."

"Does it hurt badly? Should you not show your parents?" Wendyll tilted her head to get a better view.

"It hurts, but there is nothing my parents can do. Nothing anyone can do."

Chirping softly, she flitted out of the bush and landed on the ground next to his leg. Hopping closer, she stopped just within reach of his fingers. There she started to sing the song of her family, one she hadn't sung since she had lost them.

Small fingers twitched near her, and she waited for them to touch her as she continued the happy song. They never did. Instead, they rested on the ground near her in an open invitation to hop onto them. After a moment of consideration, she took him up on the invitation. The boy gently lifted her up to his eye level, and a smile filled his face as she bobbed about on his finger, her song filling the air.

When she finished singing, she tipped her head at an angle so she could see him better. He seemed happier.

"I was wrong, there is something someone can do. Thank you for that song. It has made me feel better."

A quiet chirp and a wing flip were her way of saying 'you're welcome' and she wasn't surprised when the child understood.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

"Do you have somewhere to stay this winter?"

The boy crouched near her bush, his eyes fixed on her. He had become very good over the last several months at spotting her no matter how much she was hidden by the branches. "I can stay here."

The sound the boy made was almost like one of her scolding calls.

"You can come to the bushes in my back garden. I can bring you in if it gets too cold. Dad said it was supposed to be a frigid winter this year. If I work at it, I can dry some insects for you, and maybe some berries too."

Wendyll twitched her tail. "I will stay here in my bush. I will be fine."

Dark eyes looked uncertain, but the boy nodded and changed the subject.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

Wrapped in a thick and unfashionable coat, Severus walked further away from the house. His feet were tucked into a pair of scuffed wellies and he was wearing three pairs of thick socks to keep his feet from freezing. His trousers were also old and worn. The cold seemed to bite through them as well as the thin gloves that were protecting his fingers. It also wormed its way between the scarf and hat that was jammed over his head.

Snow had come early this year, and the ground looked like a white blanket covered it except where his footprints marred the pristine white. Glancing back the way he came, Severus noticed he was the only one out. Not that it was a surprise, the wind was blowing the snow about and the temperature was way below freezing. It was _not_ go outside and play weather. Dad couldn't get to work due to the weather, and neither could Mum. That was the reason he was out here instead of curled up on his bed under the duvets reading a book or working on school work. Mum and Dad could only be in the house together so long before words started flying about at high volume.

Tucking his hands deeper into his pockets, he kept walking towards the park. Five minutes later,he spotted the swings being twisted about because of the wind, snow swirling about the chains. _'I guess it wouldn't be a good idea to play on them today then.' _ He moved so he wouldn't get hit as a strong gust blew through.

Wandering aimlessly about, Severus wasn't surprised to find himself near the wren's bush. Sinking down beside it and using it to protect himself from the wind as much as possible, he peered through the tightly woven branches and dead leaves in hopes of spotting his little friend. He couldn't see her so he worked his way about the bush until he spotted a tiny bundle of twigs with some brown fluff at the top.

"Miss Wren." The words came out as puffs of white clouds from Severus' mouth. "Miss Wren, are you alright?"

He waited for a feather to twitch, a chirp to sound. Anything to indicate she was as fine as she had said she would be.

There was nothing.

Ignoring the knot forming in his chest, Severus worked his hand into the heart of the bush where the tiny nest was and gently picked the small brown bird off of it. Holding her carefully, he moved ever so slowly to bring her out.

As soon as he had her clear of the branches, he hunched over her to keep the wind from freezing her any more. Through the thin glove he could feel her chest barely moving. "I told you it was going to get cold. You are coming home with me and we will get you warmed up. Just ignore the yelling, okay?"

Grateful that his coat was thick and warm, Severus tucked Miss Wren into an inside pocket and closed the coat up fast so as not to lose any of its heat. With hunched shoulders, he rushed home.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

"Severus! Just where do you think you've been?"

Severus stopped as he came in through the back door, his Mum's question hanging in the air between them. A quick glance showed his Dad was there waiting on his answer. "I wanted to see the snow. I dressed warm and came back the moment I was getting too cold."

"Boy, it is too cold for any of God's creations to be trying to get around. Everything is tucked up safe in their homes." Tobias Snape raked an accessing look over the red cheeked boy. "Now, get upstairs, change out of those wet things, and get back down here. Your Mum will heat the kettle for you."

"Yes, sir." Severus bolted away, glad his parents didn't ask him to take off his coat in the mudroom.

Shutting his room door behind him, he dug an old jumper out of the back of the closet and made a nest from it. Tucking Miss Wren into the warm folds, he tented the duvet on his bed and slipped her under.

Changing quickly, he rushed back to the kitchen. He hoped Miss Wren didn't wake up while he was gone.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

After finishing the chores Dad and Mum had given him to do as punishment for leaving the house in such poor weather, Severus made it back up to his room. He closed the door behind him, even though he knew it would keep out the heat from downstairs and crossed the room to his bed, setting the warm cup of water on the floor.

Gently pulling the duvet back, he checked on Miss Wren. He ran a finger through her feathers and was relieved to feel her heart beat and the rise and fall of her chest. She also felt warmer than she had earlier. "Miss Wren, you need to wake up."

She didn't move. Watching her carefully, he nudged open her beak and using a small dropper, gave her some of the warm water. Gently rubbing her chest, he hoped she would swallow it. Mum always had him drink something warm when he came in from the cold. He felt the tiny throat move under his fingers. Waiting until it stopped, he squeezed the dropper again. She swallowed faster this time. Giving her the last bit of water from the dropper, Severus placed it on the saucer. He tucked her into her jumper nest, curled about her and opened his book.

Not long after that, he heard Mum and Dad yelling once again.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

It was late that night, long after dinner had been served and Severus was supposed to be sleeping, that he felt a fluttering of wings near his chest. He had tucked the jumper nest under his covers with him in hopes the trapped heat would keep Miss Wren warm enough.

Ducking his head under the covers, his fingers found the small bird in the dark. "You are home with me, Miss Wren. It is night still, sleep. We'll find you a bite to eat and a nip of something warm in the morning."

A soft indistinct chur sounded and then the bird fluttered her wings and settled.

Smiling softly, Severus closed his eyes and drifted away into dreams where Miss Wren taught him how to fly.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

A quiet series of chirps woke Severus up as the sun peeped through the window. Ducking his head back under the duvet, he whispered, "Hush, Miss Wren. Mum and Dad can't know you are in here."

Slipping out of the covers without disturbing them too much, Severus quickly grabbed the clothes hanging over the foot board. He dove back under and began to dress quickly. "I have to get outside and bring some wood in to heat the kitchen. I'll be back in a bit to get you some food and water. Stay under here and keep warm."

Slipping back out, Severus went downstairs to do his morning chores. Mum needed the firewood to make breakfast and heat the kettle.

Wendyll had settled back into the warmth of the soft material under her when she heard the boy's voice. She knew she was safe. Now, she listened to him leaving her here in the comfortable darkness and knew he would return.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

Severus watched the storm kick the snow about, pelting his bedroom window. Earlier that morning, he had helped Dad bring in as much wood as possible and then helped Mum dig out the old chamber pots from the attic. This storm was setting in to stay for a while.

Glancing over to his bed, he saw Miss Wren hopping about, flitting her wings and flicking her tail. The jumper that was her nest was tucked up near the head board so she could sit in it and still be in the little sunlight leaking into the room through the clouds.

"Do you need some water or food, Miss Wren?"

A black eye looked at him with a tiny brown head tipped to the side. A quiet series of chirps gave him his answer. Opening his desk drawer, he pulled out the container of dried insects he had gathered at the end of Autumn. "Would you like a beetle or an ant?"

"A beetle would be lovely." She flew down to the ground and hopped over towards his feet.

"You'd better eat on the desk, the floor is chilly."

Severus leaned down and placed his hand flat on the floor, palm up. She hopped onto his palm and he carried her up onto his desk, cluttered with papers and books.

While she ate, Severus took the time to explain to her what he was studying. Even though school was out, Mum insisted on him working through his books.

Wendyll listened to him talk as she gobbled down her beetle and drank water out of the saucer sitting on the back edge of the desk. Sometimes she added in her own comments about his theories.

They both ignored the voices that were being raised downstairs.

Ϟ Ô.Ō Ϟ

The storm abated and Severus watched the ground turn from white to a muddy slush. "Will you move into the back garden? I know it is not much, but I will worry about you if you go back to the park. If you want, you can stay here at night. I can bring you in when I get the evening wood and take you out when I go out in the morning."

Wendyll stood on the window sill, tilting her head this way and that as she considered the offer. It was almost as if he was offering her a choice of nests like a male of her species did during mating time. She knew there was no way that they could have a brood together, but he had slowly become like a member of her missing family. Hopping off the sill, she flew over to the jumper nest where it still sat on his bed. "I will stay here."

Severus smiled and joined her on the bed. "Thanks, Miss Wren."

"Wendyll."

Tipping his head to the side, much like she did, Severus asked, "Wendyll?"

"Wendyll. That is my name, what I am called by family and roost companions."

Severus' smile widened. He slipped from the bed to crouch next to it, putting himself on eye level with the wren."Hi Wendyll, I am called Severus."


End file.
